WHL announces suspension of team activities for Kelowna Rockets for minimum of 14 days

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today the suspension of team activities for the Kelowna Rockets for a minimum of 14 days through Wednesday, April 14, following six additional positive COVID-19 tests. The positive COVID-19 test results belong to two Hockey Staff members and four players on the Kelowna Rockets within the Team Cohort.

The six positive test results received today follow one positive test result for COVID-19, which was received on Tuesday, March 30. All other test results from the other participating team cohorts in the RE/MAX Hub Centres came back negative.

In accordance with the WHL’s Return to Play Protocol, the WHL issued instructions to the Kelowna Rockets on Tuesday, March 30 including the following actions as a result of the positive tests to members of their team cohort:

• Players and hockey staff were immediately isolated and tested;
• B.C. Health Officials have been contacted by the WHL;
• All close contacts have been instructed to self-quarantine and monitor symptoms for 14 days;
• The Kelowna Rockets will be assisting B.C. Health Officials with contact tracing.

The WHL is working in consultation with B.C. Health Authorities on this matter.

As a result of the suspension of activities for the Kelowna Rockets, the following WHL Regular Season Games have been postponed:

WHL Regular Season Game #178 originally scheduled to be played tonight between Vancouver and Prince George has been postponed out of an abundance of caution.

The WHL or Kelowna Rockets will not be providing any further comment at this time. The WHL will continue to work in consultation with B.C. Health Authorities on when it is safe for the Kelowna Rockets to resume team activities.

Any further adjustments to the schedule of games in the RE/MAX Hub Centres will be provided at a later date. 

About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 350 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.